It's Just a Game
by WoofBlackHayate
Summary: We all get a little emotional during our video games now and then. It's especially hard on you when you have to watch your virtual boyfriend die. Oneshot, LxE, rated for a fangirl moment. SPOILER.


My second Riviera oneshot, yay! I really don't know where this came from, since I wrote it at about midnight last night (or was it this morning?).

… Actually, I lied. I do know where it came from. I saw this cute little picture on the net of Ein playing a PSP and Ledah just sort of staring at him like: "What is that thing in your hands and why are you paying more attention to it than to me?" XD (Hey, I'm a fan girl, I can dream, can't I?)

Disclaimer: I don't own Riviera or any of the characters. I also don't own a PSP. Oh well. _(plays her DS)_

"… Ein, what are you doing?"

"Shut up, I'm concentrating."

Ein leaned forward, staring intently at the handheld device.

"That can't be good for your eyesight."

"I said I'm concentrating!"

Rose stared dumbfounded at her friend. He didn't look back at her. The two stayed like this until Rose had lost count of the seconds that had passed by.

"Fine, suit yourself," she said, shrugging and walking away.

Ein took absolutely no notice, but instead continued to mash the buttons on his PSP. Serene had given it to him for Christmas, and Cierra had supplied him with his first game: Riviera. Now, he wouldn't put the damned thing down.

"Argh!"

Ein gave a shout of frustration.

"Shoot. I'm glad I brought Elixirs into that battle…"

It was odd, watching the pixilated characters resembling he and his friends move around on the screen. Most of them were in college now, living in a cramped apartment in New York that was just big enough for all seven of them. They had all worked hard to find jobs, too: Fia Lachapelle was a waitress, also working part-time at the local church; Lina Ivers was an apprentice chef; Serene d'Arc was unemployed, preferring to hang around the apartment; Cierra Scarlette was a secretary; Ledah Rozwelli was a professor at Serene's college, constantly pestering her into doing her work; Malice's occupation was unknown, as she didn't like discussing her personal life much; and Hector, a long-time acquaintance of theirs, was a game designer. Riviera had been his latest achievement, and—wanting to be sure it got to his "friends"—had sent them a free copy. Of course, this had made Ledah suspicious, since Hector was a stingy sort of person and didn't distribute free merchandise very often. It had been decided that the game would be Ein's birthday gift, and so Cierra had accordingly wrapped and presented it to the wingless angel. He hadn't had time to play it until his workload lightened, however.

Ein had soon found himself engrossed in the story. It had disappointed him that Ledah wasn't a part of the main team, though. He was secretly hoping that Ledah would ultimately join the party and have an "affection" stat of his own.

But the moment was fast approaching when he would discover this to be untrue.

"I see you still haven't given that a rest."

Ein stopped only to allow himself a brief glance into Ledah's carmine eyes.

"Yeah. You were damn hard to beat, though, Ledah."

Ledah smiled, shook his head, and continued through the undersized living room, heading into the hallway towards the back that led to the bedrooms. Ein was left alone again.

The minute hand on the grandfather clock worked its way steadily around the face. As each minute slipped away, Ein's face gradually changed from a focused frown to a worried stare.

"Wh…"

He couldn't believe it. He was definitely going to have Hector's head for this one.

"Ledah…"

Ein called the angel's name softly, apprehensively. After a few more moments, the blonde emerged.

"What is it, Ein?"

"He made you die…"

"… What?"

"In the game. Malice killed you."

Ledah immediately sat down beside Ein to comfort him.

"Ein, must you really let that upset you?"

"But I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

"You know very well that Malice would never have a reason to kill me."

"I know, but it's depressing when the game characters all look and talk exactly the same as the real ones do…"

Ein wrapped his arms around Ledah, chiding himself for letting a silly game make him cry. He felt Ledah embrace him back.

"Ein, listen to me. It's just a game. You can't let your emotions run away with you like this. This isn't meant for you to cry. I'm here, and I won't ever leave you, do you understand?"

Ein nodded into his shoulder. "Yes, Ledah." He pulled away, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I wonder how you put up with me."

"Because I love you, Ein," Ledah replied, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ein didn't reply, but instead closed the gap between them, bringing his lips to Ledah's as his answer. The PSP lay on the coffee table in front of them, forgotten, its virtual universe abandoned in favor of the advantages of the one at hand.


End file.
